External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s compassion for Indians living in foreign countries is very well known. Her ministry is always ready to help distressed Indians living and working in foreign countries. She is one of the most popular ministers in PM Modi’s cabinet. Just one tweet and Sushma Swaraj is ready to help out the needy ones, for instance a woman received her newborn’s passport in just two days after she tweeted to Sushma Swaraj about the delay.
#Karnataka: Woman receives her newborn's passport in 2 days after she tweeted to Sushma Swaraj about delay, says, 'i stay in Germany & I wanted to go back with my son but I couldn't as I didn't have his passport & so I tweeted to her. Her reply made all the difference. I'm happy' pic.twitter.com/ZvzruG8Fdb
— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2018
But then she has also faced criticism for her proactive approach on Twitter. One of the most efficient ministers of PM Modi’s cabinet Sushma Swaraj boldly countered the ‘Twitter minister’ jibe. In a press conference about her ministry’s performance in the last four years, Sushma Swaraj was asked about the taunt and criticism that she has often faced, that she runs her ministry via Twitter. Sushma Swaraj responded by saying that a ministry which used to be run behind closed doors and had no interaction or did nothing for the people on the ground, had now changed its course. Her ministry had broken the elitist mould and connected ‘Lok Niti’ (People-centric policies) with ‘Videsh Niti’ (Foreign Policy). She defended her twitter activity by stating that having been in public life for decades, she understands how much people require the government’s help and she has tried her level best to provide it through the ministry. She said, “My political career spans 41 years during which I contested 11 Lok Sabha elections. I know people’s problems and how to respond to calls for help. We have linked foreign policy with people-centric policies. Probably Congress leaders do not know the importance of Twitter, which I use to respond to calls from distressed, stranded people”. She also stated that, “I don’t sleep and I don’t let our ambassadors sleep”.
#WATCH: EAM Sushma Swaraj responds to Congress's allegation that 'foreign Ministry has shifted to PMO & minister is only left with the Twitter handle'. pic.twitter.com/hBwECLCcdx
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2018
“ I don’t sleep and I don’t let our ambassadors sleep”, says @SushmaSwaraj on the complaints she addresses through twitter
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) May 28, 2018
However, she said that there are many who have made fun of her and her ministry for being so proactive and helping people through social media. However, it isn’t funny for the thousands who have been rescued or have received any help from the ministry after getting in touch through social media. She said, “You can make fun of it, but ask those Indians who have been stranded.”
Foreign Minsiter @SushmaSwaraj hits back at criticism that’s she a “twitter minister”- “you can make fun of it, but ask those Indians who have been stranded.”
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) May 28, 2018
Her final salvo was that if those making fun of the ministry’s proactiveness had a loved one who needed help, they would realize the benefit. This is enough to shut up every critic, cynic and irritant, who has attacked the minister and her work mostly because they have a political axe to grind. Especially to those in whose time entire PMO had been shifted to Dus Janpad and now they make glib allegations that the Foreign ministry has shifted to PMO minister is only left with the ‘Twitter handle’. The Congress wants the Indians to remain struck to the Nehruvian style of foreign policy of writing letters and flying pigeons of peace.
Sushma Swaraj has been among the best performing ministers of the government, and apart from foreign policy and making a mark at the world stage, she has helped and rescued thousands of Indians in distress. Since 2014 her ministry has saved 90,000 Indians, worldwide.
90,000 people from Indian community have been rescued from various places. In his visits to many countries, PM has saved many people from severe punishments. Today, Indians living overseas are living peacefully: EAM Sushma Swaraj pic.twitter.com/GOKTTheaOc
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2018
Now, Indians living in foreign countries feel safer. Those who make fun of her connecting foreign ministry to the common people are of elitist mindset and do not have any clue about the problems faced by Indian living in the foreign countries. Whether they support her or not it doesn’t matter,but the common citizen of this country support their ‘TWITTER MINISTER’.
